Mother says Marysville man killed in Seattle had drug problem

SEATTLE — The mother of the Marysville man who was shot to death by state troopers Monday evening on I-5 in Seattle says he had a drug addiction and was likely going through withdrawal when he behaved erratically.

Authorities say 33-year-old Jonathan Whitehead stopped and set fire to his truck on the Ship Canal Bridge and was spray painting a green circle on the pavement when he was confronted by troopers and charged at them with a knife.

The man’s mother, Donna Buchenau, told KIRO the green circle was a “circle of truth” he thought would protect him.